We are not done telling you about our last trip. We also have many Sarnia updates about babies and rock snakes, but we are on the road again, so both will have to wait a bit. This time, we are on our way to fetch Denver daughter and make her into a Michigan daughter. It will be a month-long process and we will not have too much time on our hands, so we will try to share some shorter snippet with you.
Hopefully they will be fun, or informative, or both.
Let’s start with border crossing from Canada to the US. It’s always fun since we never know what mood the Customs and Border Protection officer will be in, or what he or she may ask us. There was the one time that we lost a half of a tomato (we never told him that it touched the half onion we had), and yet another where the officer wanted to know where to go camping.
This time it was the egg.
The jolly guy in the booth asked “what are you bringing with you?”
“nothing really” we said.
The questions now came in a very rapid succession:
Guy: “what about food?”
Us: “just some bread and cheese.”
Guy: “any snacks?”
Us: “oh, we have a few granola bars.”
Guy: “chicken? Eggs?” (notice that in this instance the chicken came before the eggs).
We looked at each other. We weren’t going to tell him about the egg, but we also didn’t want to lie.
I asked Tony innocently “did you take the egg?” and Tony said turning back to the jolly guy in the booth “yeah, we have one egg.” “it’s hard boiled.” I added quickly.
The guy in the booth paused, leaned forward and murmured “cooked is fine.” and waved us through. He then quickly yelled as we were leaving “but what are you going to do with one egg?”
Well, what do you all think we should do with one egg? Any ideas? I know some of you will come up with a brilliant retort we should have given him. Hopefully one that won’t get us arrested.
Eat it or toss it! 😂
Pretty much. Like the time we had to toss a huge bag of dog food only to cross the border and buy the exact same one on the American side.
That seems very ridiculous! 👎🏻
Trade wars.
I guess. Who knows, that same bag you tossed may have crossed the border in a big truck.
That’s hilarious! The answers are going to be fun I’m sure. I think the first thought would be the same for me-just eat it!
I think I actually said that I can eat it right there, but he said that cooked is fine.
Give it to a hard boiled chick. I am sure there will be some tough chicks in Michigan. Ok maybe not sure but guessing.
I suppose it can be used as currency in the right place 🙂
Oh yeah, never lie at a border crossing, especially about food or in NZ, about hiking boots. Sounds great that your daughter will now be closer. Safe travels. Allan
Haha, true! And yes, we are very happy to bring her close again!
I grew up in Port Huron, Michigan and enjoyed visiting Sarnia and other cities in Canada (especially Toronto!).
“It’s always fun since we never know what mood the Customs and Border Protection officer will be in, or what he or she may ask us.”
That’s definitely true. Back when i was in high school, we noticed that some of our teachers would take summer jobs working at the border and every now and then we’d see them as we came back into the USA. Other times, the officers we didn’t know could be very unfriendly!
Haha, I would actually be more scared to come across one of my highschool teachers. I was a bit of a trouble maker and they knew it 🙂
Also, you should give us some Port Huron pointers!
“Well, what do you all think we should do with one egg?” These are the tough questions we want our border patrol people asking.😊
Haha, it should be in their training manual 🙂
What a funny story! What difference does it make if it’s cooked or raw?
I think it has to do with carrying disease across the border. Once cooked, it’s technically sterialized.
Okay, that makes sense. My takeaway is this: don’t carry any food across the border – either way.
I’m glad your trip started with so much eggcitement.
I know. Someone had to say it.
Thank you for sorting out which came first. The chicken or the egg.
Haha, I was hoping someone will say it without me egging them on 🙂
Actually, near my home town in the north of England, it was an Easter tradition to paint hard boiled eggs, then roll them down a hill in Preston park. You had to crush up the shells carefully afterwards, though, in case witches used them as boats! https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Pace-Egging/
I love it! I will make a point from now on to crush the shells. Nobody wants a witch in an eggshell boat!
What a strange fellow and line of questioning. That egg must seem awfully threatening to national security. Better eat it before you get arrested!
Eggstremely dangerous!
Oh dear. 😆
Too bad there isn’t a charm school for customs officials. They all seem to have hatched from the same egg.
He was actually very pleasant and nice, but I guess you develop some strange mannerisms when you have to ask hundreds of people the same questions and try and read their reactions. It was just a funny exchange 🙂
What a great story. When I’ve woken up and had breakfast I’ll sit down and tell you about border crossing in 1974. But I’m going to stay in bed a little longer because it is -2degrees Celsius right now here in Ballarat.
Right! It’s winter there. Stay warm my friend.
Devil it and each eat half? Give it to Border Control guy – maybe he’s hungry? Paint it and leave it in one of those places with painted rocks?
Haha, i like the last one!
“Make Canadian egg salad.” That’s what I would’ve said. 🤣 Border crossing is sometimes fun. Usually it’s quite unremarkable.
Enjoy your trip for Denver daughter.
Haha, we just cut it in half and made a sandwich, but this would have been tastier!
Best of luck with the drive and helping with the move. It’s great to hear that your daughter will be moving closer towards you. What else is there to do with one egg but to eat it!?
Thank you, and yes, that’s exactly what we did with it. Surprise surprise 🙂